Good morning,
I thank you all for coming and I am sure that you are all looking forward to hearing the planned presentations.
The topic of today’s conference concerns the whole business community of the world.

The International Committee for Environment and Development stated in its “Our Common Future” report back in 1987: “Sustainable development is a kind of development satisfying the needs of the present time but not jeopardizing the ability of future generations to satisfy their own needs”.

What is the way to reduce the influence on environment and to satisfy the demand for safe and quality products? We have fallen into a habit of thinking that this is something far away from us and is not our concern. We have fallen into a habit of thinking that someone somewhere is obliged to solve these problems and we do not have any way of participating in this process. But is it really so?

The underlying principle of sustainable development is: “Think globally - act locally”. Global aims are only attainable through real actions at a local level.
Amongst us are the experts of the Atameken Union National Economic Chamber, the KAZNEX INVEST National Agency for Export and Investments, the United Nations Development Program in Kazakhstan as well as representatives from well-known companies in the sphere of packaging that will share with us their experience of solving production modernization issues at the State level and what we, as the Association, and each individual company can bring to sustainable development of society.
We will hear ideas that may be successfully implemented by each of us. They are:

• Low waste and waste-free technologies
• Resources saving;
• Reduction of packaging weight and improvements in saving space that, in their turn, lower fuel consumption volumes during transportation and hence respective emissions of greenhouse gases into atmosphere;
• Disposing of waste and producing from renewable materials;
• Personnel training and performance enhancement.

At the same time it is necessary to understand that this process may be successful only if comprehensive strategies of sustainable development are devised to ensure cooperation at various levels of participation and with consideration of all three aspects of sustainable development:

• Economic
• Environmental
• Social

This conference gives a chance to meet those who share interests and experience, a chance to get inspired by innovative ideas and to share opinions in respect of critical aspects of the packaging business.
I would like to wish to all participants to have productive discussions and obtain new knowledge (tools) that will help putting in gear sustainable development at the local level. I wish you success!